Lone Wolf No More
by phoenixreal
Summary: AU Post Vizard Training. Ichigo is feeling odd after he controls his inner hollow, and Aizen decides to remove the unknown variable he presents. Once in Las Noches, he gains the attention of a certain and lonely primera who may not agree with Aizen's plan to break the substitute shinigami. Warnings: Noncon, lemon, violence, torture. StarkXIchigo alpha/beta/soulbound fic.
1. Curiosity Awakened

**Lone Wolf No More**

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><p>AN: Burning up my thoughts. So yes, a NON HAREM story. Alpha/Beta type thing, but doing it more along the lines of souls linking. This is pure IchigoXStark romance.

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

_Curiosity Awakened_

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><p>Loneliness had become such a part of his life that he honestly didn't know what to think about it anymore. And it was such a constant companion that even Lillinette didn't completely ease his pain, because she was, after all, only a part of his soul. He lay in his pile of pillows and hoped that it brought him the warmth and comfort that he desperately wanted from another body. It was lonely, but it had been better since he'd found Aizen and those that weren't crushed by the sheer force of his reiatsu. He feigned sleep as the door opened and Lillinette's familiar weight settled onto his chest.<p>

"Wake up, lazy ass," she said, reaching up and peeling his eyelids up. He smiled at her sadly. She knew he wasn't really asleep.

"What is it, _mija_?" he asked softly, sighing. "I'd rather sleep."

"Come on, Aizen-_sama_ has something to discuss with us. I guess some threat to his position he wants neutralized, or better yet, in his hands," she said with an eye roll.

Stark groaned. "Very well," he said. "He won't send me, however."

He left the green haired girl behind and headed down the conference room and found a seat with a sigh. He listened as Aizen made the plans to acquire his trophy. He claimed that this person was worth far more than anything save the hogyuku, and would prove to be a distraction if not removed from play. He claimed that he planned to make the life of those in Soul Society miserable before he was finished. He would prove their arrogance would be their downfall. Ulquiorra, Yammy, and Grimmjow were being sent for retrieval. Stark yawned once again after the meeting and went back to his rooms to sleep the rest of the day away, as he did most days. After all, how else could he spend his days, except alone?

-oooooo – Karakura Town –oooooo-

He was sweating again. Eleven seconds. He had to get more than eleven seconds… He didn't have time as the mask shattered again. He inwardly cursed as Hiyori was pressing him again. Harder now, he had to get this under control or he would be of no use in the coming battles. And if he didn't, he was going to get another flip-flop to the head. He went tumbling again, and got to his feet and set to go again…

"Oi, enough," yelled Shinji. "Come on, break for a while, you two."

Hiyori agreed and sighed as they left the warehouse. "I want to go check on something with getabishi," Ichigo said with a sigh. "So, I'll meet you back here in an hour?"

"Got it," the two vizard said with a wave.

Ichigo flashed away, because there was something bugging him. A lot. Ever since he managed to subdue the inner hollow, something had been niggling at the back of his mind. Something felt…wrong. He entered the shoten and down to the basement area where he sensed Urahara, Chad and Renji were.

"Getabishi!" he called out and the man came over to him.

He smiled and snapped his fan open. "Yare, yare, what can I do, Ichigo-san?"

"Can we talk about something…upstairs?" he asked, frowning.

For a second, he swore Urahara looked confused. But he nodded and they headed back upstairs and he offered him tea. "So, what is it?"

Ichigo swallowed. "Since…since I got _him_ under control, I've been feeling…weird. Not just with the mask, but all the time…" he said slowly, sipping the tea.

Urahara tipped his head to the side. "How so?"

"Like…something's missing. Something huge is just…not there. It…it isn't like I've lost anything, just something is not there that I desperately need and I don't know what it is…" he said thoughtfully. "Something that has never been there, but it was only once the hollow surfaced and I got some sort of control that I realized it."

Urahara looked thoughtful. "It would be impossible…" he muttered finally.

"What?" Ichigo asked.

"Hollows are like animals, pure, base instincts. Well one of those is the consume, another is to procreate, and while they don't do this like living beings, I've seen more sentient hollows take mates for short periods or lifetimes, which is often until one is devoured by another hollow. But I've never seen one of the vizard have these compulsions. Perhaps…perhaps your hollow is stronger than the others…" he said thoughtfully.

Ichigo sat for a moment. "Well, I'll go back to the warehouse then, figure this out later. It isn't causing any problems…I just didn't know if it was related to being a vizard…and well it is kinda embarrassing to tell Shinji and his bunch this kind of stuff."

Urahara gave him a rare, genuine smile. "Well, I am honored, now, get back, Ichigo-san before Hiyori-san plants her flip flop where it is not desired…"

Ichigo smiled and left. He always felt a bit better after talking to Urahara, even if he was now a bit more worried about what was happening. About halfway to the warehouse, an overwhelming pulse of reiatsu stopped him. He looked around and heard sonido. Arrancar, but where? He whipped around on the electric pole he'd stopped on, only to be face to face with Grimmjow, the one he'd fought not long before, still missing his arm. He reached out and grabbed him by the neck and Ichigo realized that he couldn't move. Kido? No, this was different, this was deeper, more base than that… He looked behind the blue haired arrancar and saw a garganta opening behind him and felt sweeping blackness threatening to overtake him.

"Ichigo!" he heard below him. He glanced down and saw Renji coming toward him as he was lifted from his frozen spot and hefted over Grimmjow's whole shoulder and then he was staring behind him at the monstrous arrancar that he'd met before and the green eyed one. They were staring at Renji no doubt.

"What are you doing?" he asked. Ichigo sensed Urahara and Yoruichi then too.

"Well, takin' what we want," he heard Grimmjow say and felt the vibrations of his voice through his whole body. It tingled through every nerve cell, it seemed. He was vaguely glad Kon was in his human body.

"What do you want with Kurosaki?" asked Renji. Ichigo wished he could see… And just as he thought that, he was flipped and being held against Grimmjow's chest, his one hand around Ichigo's neck, the other clutched into his bicep keeping him up in the air beside him.

Renji, Urahara and Yoruichi were staring at him, and he caught he look in Renji's eyes. He was afraid. And that look rarely crossed Renji's face.

"What?" Grimmjow said, tightening his grip. "Ya don't want me ta take yer pet?"

"Pet?" Urahara asked, brows knitting.

"Sure, after all, he's a sweet thing, ain't he?" Grimmjow said, nails digging into his neck until blood began to drip down into his collar bone. "See, Aizen decided that the best way to control this…unknown variable…would be to simply own him for himself."

"Grimmjow, do not damage him. Aizen-sama will not be pleased," Ulquiorra said impassively. "We're instructed to bring him back uninjured. You do not wish to lose your other arm for your insolence." Beside him, Yammy snickered.

"What do you mean?" Renji asked. "He isn't anyone's pet to be owned."

Grimmjow pulled back and tossed his frozen body backward suddenly, only to be caught by Yammy's grip on his shoulders. He blinked, feeling the bruises starting to form there.

"What did you do to him?" asked Yoruichi, knowing full well that if he could fight, Ichigo would.

"Oh that?" Grimmjow said, arching a brow. "Just a little something to keep him still. Works really well on hollows…funny how it works on him, isn't it? We weren't sure if it would, he's supposed ta be a shinigami after all. But surprise… Think it might be because he's more hollow than human? Guess we'll find out…because Hueco Mundo will awaken that hollow if he is."

"Ichigo, can you speak?" Urahara called. All he could do was blink rapidly and roll his eyes between each of them in response. Not a muscle seemed to answer his request.

"Now, if you don't mind, he has an appointment with Aizen," Grimmjow said with a smirk, and they stepped through the garganta. The moment he was inside, Ichigo felt his consciousness slip away completely.

-oooooo-Las Noches-oooooo-

Ichigo couldn't sense anything. The world was black and fuzzy and there was no sense to it at all. He blinked wearily though and found himself coming to consciousness with such sluggishness he wondered if he wasn't actually dead. When his eyes cleared, he could see he was lying down, on a hard floor, it seemed. His neck ached horribly for some reason, and his head was too heavy to lift. He was staring across a floor, it seemed, and he could see shoes, no not shoes, people wearing shoes…of different kinds, so this wasn't soul society, they weren't sandals and tabi… Speaking of, he wasn't wearing shoes. Scratch that, he wasn't wearing _anything._ If he could move, he might have cared, but he couldn't even think of moving anything. His wrists felt painfully heavy and so did his ankles. And he couldn't feel his reiatsu. At all…

"Think he's awake, finally, Aizen-sama," a voice he didn't know said nearby. He blinked and saw a pair of white hakama kneel before him and he felt his head being tilted upward to look into Aizen's face. He might have gulped or gasped if he'd had the energy.

"Ah, there we are, some life in you yet, pet," he murmured softly and Ichigo tried to respond but his mouth wouldn't seem to form anything like words. "Hush, no reason to get too excited, not yet, you're far too weak. Your reiatsu has been sealed with the shackles and the collar. It will take you a few days before you can even stand again. So you'll be staying here and enjoying the company of the various espada and me as well," he said, brushing a hand down the back of his head in a tender fashion that sent a shiver down Ichigo's spine. "Such power you have…without it you are a mere kitten…" he said softly.

He put his head back down and Ichigo struggled a long moment to raise it again to no avail, ending up with his breath heaving in his chest for the effort. There was a moment and something was dropped over him. Perhaps a blanket? It was warmer, and he was cold to his core from the ice cold floor he was on. At least it gave him some part of his privacy back, even if it was only a small part. He felt his eyelids close slowly and found the darkness a small comfort.

Stark watched as the shinigami fell back to sleep. He had been unsure of this plan in the beginning, but then to find out that the person Aizen was taking was a human boy with the power of a hollow and a shinigami, and possibly the only threat that soul society could raise against him… More than that, there was something about the boy that he connected with. He was immensely powerful, and it had taken all five binding shackles to completely suppress his reiatsu. Even then, there was no way to tell for sure if his reiatsu was really under complete suppression. And Stark could sense the loneliness inside him, and he knew that he was lonely because of that power. He was dangerous to others. And he knew it.

"What is your plan, Aizen-sama?" he asked, as the traitor shinigami sat down again.

"I plan to make him mine. A few weeks of consistent torture and pain and he'll break for me and will willingly lie at my feet. And when Soul Society sees their great hero groveling before me, then they will realize that they are lost. All of them," he said with a grim smile.

Stark yawned and nodded, watching as Aizen left. He stood and went to stare at the boy. Grimmjow had come up beside him.

"Primera, what do you think of this plan?" he asked suddenly, hands pressed into his pockets deeply.

"Of this?" Stark asked, motioning to the sleeping form on the floor.

"Yeah, this," Grimmjow said, eyes landing on him. "He's a helluva fighter, young as he is, gave me a good one until Tosen came and got me. Don't know why he sent me, since he put fuckin' Luppi in the sexta position," he said, rubbing at the place where his arm should have been.

Stark paused. "You are bothered by the way he is handling this, turning him into a slave for his own benefit like this displeases you," Stark said, stifling another yawn.

"No one with a fighting spirit like him should be reduced to…what Aizen wants," he said and turned to leave.

Stark stood a while longer and thought over the ex-sexta had said. If he could do this sort of thing to a boy, what could he do to the arrancar? Grimmjow was already at outs with Aizen over the loss of his arm. Not that Grimmjow was fond of him to begin with. Hollows were drawn to power and he exuded power. He promised power. And now, they had all become more powerful. He pulled off his glove and examined the one on his hand for a long time. What did it mean to be the primera? He was more powerful than the rest? What did any of it matter if he couldn't rid himself of the deep pain that radiated out from the place his heart should have been.

He turned, thinking, perhaps Aizen would be unsuccessful and the boy wouldn't break. But wasn't that a lot to ask of a human? He made his way slowly to his rooms, forgoing sonido to think more on the issue. It was unlike him to be so very thoughtful about something such as this. He fell into his pillows and drifted off again. What else was there to do except sleep, after all?

-oooooo-Karakura Town-oooooo-

"What do we do?" Rukia demanded. "We have no idea what he plans!"

Urahara held up his hands to settle her down. "I know, come now, getting upset won't help. Now…"

He blinked and realized that he felt a garganta opening nearby again. No words were spoken but Urahara, Shinji, Rukia and Renji, who had all been meeting at the shoten over the kidnapping of Ichigo were off at once. They found themselves staring at Grimmjow, the one who had taken him, standing casually where he'd come out of the garganta, looking up into the sky behind him.

"Ya know, good ta see tha real sky now and then," he commented and turned back to face the four shinigami with a grin.

"What do you want? What have you done with Ichigo?" Renji demanded.

"So pushy," Grimmjow said with a sigh. "Just here to deliver a message of intent from Aizen-teme. Said he wanted Soul Society to know so you could see how worthless you are against him. He intends to take your boy and break him until he's nothing more than a groveling shell at his feet. His words, not mine. Now, see I don't like that really, but can't do much without my other arm…" he said thoughtfully. "So there ya go."

"Wait!" Urahara called out. "What would happen if you had your arm back again?"

Grimmjow snorted and arched a brow. "I'd take my place back from fuckin' Luppi to be sexta again. Then maybe I'd have access to information about the kid. Why? You can't fix this."

Urahara shook his head. "No, but I know someone who can. Renji?"

Renji nodded and disappeared. Urahara turned back. "Why?"

Grimmjow shrugged. "Maybe no reason. Maybe I have a reason. Or maybe I'm lying and doing what Aizen says. You can't tell."

"Come down to the ground, Orihime can't come up here," Urahara said and flashed down to where Renji was appearing with Inoue at his side.

Inoue looked nervous as Grimmjow appeared but said nothing. He stared at her for a moment. "So you can fix this, woman?" he asked. She nodded and moved forward, and a short time later, Grimmjow's arm was returned to him. He looked at her then turned and lifted his shirt. "This too, woman," he said. She did as he asked, the stylized six returning to his skin. He grinned at her.

"We'll see how this plays out, but I have a replacement to kill," he said, flicking open the garganta and stepping through.

He left them, sure they were wondering what he was up to. He wasn't sure what he was up to, to be honest. But if nothing else, he'd gotten his arm back, and soon, he'd have his position. That was enough. But then the question was, what would he do about the prisoner they'd acquired? And what exactly did Aizen intend to do with him? Torture, sure, but he didn't see that brat breaking too easily, especially under mere pain. He was human after all, not a hollow. The whole situation bothered the espada. He'd never liked Aizen. He knew that Stark wasn't impressed. Who else was displeased with Aizen and his bid for power, he wondered. He would find out…

He passed through the hallways toward Luppi's rooms. He passed the conference room and noticed Stark was sitting there again, watching the sleeping form. He entered and he turned toward him.

"I see you regained your arm while you were delivering Aizen-sama's message to the shinigami," he commented slowly.

"Yeah, well, opportunity presented, so I took it," Grimmjow answered, eyes traveling toward the huddled form. He'd gained some strength, even in sleep, he'd managed to pull his arms and legs into his body. "Do you think he'll even survive being cut off like this?"

Stark shook his head. "No se. It may be or may not be, he was strong to begin with, even as a human. But five bindings…that is much."

"Is there anyone else that comes by to see him?" Grimmjow asked thoughtfully.

Stark looked up and narrowed his eyes at the blue-eyed espada. "Si, Ulquiorra has been by, he seems fascinated by his ability to survive being sealed. And of course, Szayel has been by, administering something in an injection. I am unsure what he is doing."

Grimmjow grimaced. Szayel. Whatever he was doing was no doubt bad for the boy. He nodded and left the primera in the room that few of the other arrancar would approach with him sitting inside. Something was different about him, but he wasn't sure what exactly. And what the hell was Szayel doing, Grimmjow wondered again. He didn't trust him. Experimentation when done by that bastard usually meant death by painful means.


	2. Solace Within the Pain

**Lone Wolf No More**

**Chapter Two**

_Solace Within the Pain_

It took three days before Ichigo could do more than pull his limbs in to his body and actually manage to sit up against the wall. His arms and legs still felt like lead though. His head was in a constant state of migraine level pain and it felt like his eyeballs were going to explode at any moment. He swallowed thickly as he finally peeled them open in the darkness of the empty room. Someone had kindly pulled the thin sheet around him, he was glad of that. To be honest, he couldn't really tell. His body felt like ice no matter what without his reiatsu flowing through it like it should.

"Awake?" a voice said and Ichigo hadn't the strength to look over.

"_Perdoname_, I know you are unable to move, I am Starrk, Primera Espada. I am unsure what you think," the voice said and then he saw a man with brunette hair kneel down in front of him. "You are a powerful shinigami."

Ichigo sighed, his chest feeling like it had a weight on it, and he nodded a bit. Starrk continued. "I am the Primera because I am too powerful for most. I don't leave my rooms. My presence destroys lesser hollows. Yet you, even without your power, seem to withstand it. And there is something I do not _comprende_. So different…"

He stood then, and left the room. Ichigo closed his eyes again. He didn't have the strength to slide back to the floor completely. Primera esapada meant that he was the most powerful. That was impressive. In his mind he heard the sound of the hollow wailing against the bindings, gaining momentum. His shinigami powers were bound, but they didn't account for Shiro's power. Shiro was far more powerful than any of them realized. He remembered what they'd said about him being more hollow than human anymore, and he really couldn't deny that. Right now, though, he wanted to sleep without the horrible weight. His eyes felt like they were so heavy.

He felt someone toe his leg and he managed his eyes open again and looked to see Grimmjow looking down at him.

"Well, still alive, I see?" he said with a grin.

Ichigo would have glared at the bastard if he could have. Grimmjow instead kneeled down and looked Ichigo in the eyes. "I'm kinda sorry to see you like this. Fucking sucks cuz I wanted my fight with you again."

Ichigo swallowed, still unable to get his mouth to work. Grimmjow frowned, pushing Ichigo's hair out of his face and leaning closer, speaking in an almost whisper. "Look, I'm fucking sorry for what he has planned for you, kid. I really am. Aizen is a twisted fucker. Just do what he says, for fuck's sake, and you might live to get out of here, or don't and hope he kills you quick. I don't like this kind of shit, especially not someone who can fight like you can."

Grimmjow leaned back and stood back up with a sigh and shook his head. He didn't like what Aizen had planned for him. No one should be subjected to that sort of humiliation and torture. He couldn't stop it, though he had refused to participate. Unfortunately, Zommari, Gin, Barragan, and Nnoitra were more than willing to "help" Aizen break the shinigami, as were their fraccion. He'd already told his fraccion they weren't to take part in the debacle Aizen had planned. If they did, he'd kill them. There was no two ways about it.

He passed Aizen as he headed to get Ichigo with a self-satisfied grin on his face. Grimmjow ducked his head and moved on. He didn't want to be around when this happened, the shinigami couldn't even move for soul's sake. He was all for fighting, but this wasn't fighting. He abhorred this idea of turning someone like that Shinigami into something worthless and weak.

Ichigo's next sensation was of sudden motion. He managed to open his eyes again and realize he was staring at someone's back and his arms were dangling down limply. He had no idea where they were taking him and to be honest, he didn't care. He felt the presence of the light sheet wrapped around his body as it had been where he was restrained to the floor. He wanted to sleep so badly. He was exhausted from the tip of his toes to the ends of his hair. He could die and have been extremely happy to do so just to get some damn rest.

He felt the world shift and he was looking up at a white ceiling. Oh well. At least it was a different view he supposed. Aizen's face was over him and had he been able he would have spat on him. He felt the sheet being moved away from his chest and fingers running along his ribs and collarbone but he couldn't identify the owners of them.

"Well, pretty little shinigami, looks like we'll get to partake of your lovely charms," he said, leaning over and placing a soft kiss on Ichigo's brow. He managed the strength to scowl, just a bit. His charms? What the hell was that supposed to mean?

He felt his arms being moved and then he was staring at the floor in a motion that was head spinning. He fought the turmoil in his stomach as he watched feet move past him. He didn't see who they belonged to; of course, he couldn't see the rest of them. He was still without his shihakuso, of course, and he was now laying on the sheet he had wrapped about him. Even as restricted as he was, he flinched as the first lash lay on his back. The worst part was not being able to scream. He lost count at thirty, and he could feel the blood dripping down his sides and could see it dropping on the floor under his face. His vision was doubling and he wanted to pass out but he couldn't do it for some reason.

The only indication of his incredible pain was the faster breathing he'd managed. He felt hands on his back and wanted them to just go away because the pain just lanced through him from the ripped flesh.

"You bleed well, shinigami," came Aizen's voice. "I do wish you had recovered your strength so that I could hear you scream. That will come. But today, your silence speaks volumes, my sweet strawberry. Yes, yes, to make you the first, the shinigami whores of Las Noches, for there will be more."

He wanted to scream, he hated that name with more venom than he could muster. His name didn't mean strawberry. It meant… Whores of Las Noches? Oh, no, fuck, no…

The thought was cut short when he had his head lifted by a pair of hands and tilted up. He was looking an espada, he assumed, but he was taller than Kenpachi and had an eye patch over one eye. He grinned and his smile chilled Ichigo to the bone. "Hey there pretty," he said. "I think you'll learn your place, well," he said and then he realized what was happening. His tried to struggle but his arms wouldn't move, his legs dangled uselessly as he felt someone's hands on his back again, dragging bloody trails through the lash marks.

The lanky one wrenched his head up and to Ichigo's horror, he undid his hakama with a smirk. "Lesson one, for the whores of Las Noches, you have to suck a cock well," he said as he leaned over and licked the shell of his ear. "But today, you're nothing more than a receptacle. Once you have your strength, you'll be expected to work, of course. For now, you are expected to lay there and be fucked."

Ichigo wanted to choke as he forced himself down into his throat but he couldn't even do that as his eyes watered. The only responses he could give were the ones his body gave automatically, gagging and swallowing against the intruding member. Then, he felt wet fingers against his backside and he knew that it wasn't nearly over. This was just beginning, he thought as his world exploded into a haze of pain and unbearable pressure. He would have screamed, but he then he would have lost his voice before it was over. He passed out at some point, but of course they wouldn't have noticed. He woke intermittently and wished he hadn't each time because it still was a world of pain, punctuated with someone lashing into his sides with the whip now and then.

Finally he awoke and he was back in the conference room, sprawled on his back, and by the feel of it, he'd just literally been tossed to the floor. His head hurt unbelievably bad, and his whole body felt like it had been wrenched and trampled by horses. He coughed, and nearly vomited as something flowed down the side of his mouth to the floor. What did he do to get this…he thought to himself, tears escaping his shut eyes.

He felt someone's hands on him and forced his eyes open and gasped, not so soon, he just woke up.

"Shush, _pobrecito_," he heard whispered, and felt something soft against his face. He managed to roll his eyes toward the voice and saw the brunette arrancar.

"Primera, if I'm caught," another voice he thought he knew.

"I will take responsibility," the Primera said with a firm tone. "Help me, I have ordered you, octavo."

The other one, he'd seen him before, the pink haired one, came into view and he felt his body rolled to the side. "Dammit, are they trying to break him or kill him?" the pink haired one muttered.

He would have hissed or gasped or something as cold, burning liquid touched the tears in his back. More tears escaped his eyes from the burning pain. Starrk wiped them away with the cloth in his hands and kept his body on its side so the other one could clean the wounds.

"Aizen-sama believes that if he is tortured long enough he'll become pliant and worthless to the shinigami," Starrk said quietly.

Ichigo felt something soft, a bandage he thought, applied to his back and then the other man's hands were moving somewhere that he couldn't take right now. He felt Starrk's hands tighten on his shoulder. "Shh, it is alright," he said, taking another cloth and using one of his fingers to open Ichigo's jaw, and clean his mouth with it. It came away more than a little red. "You are strong, I sense this," Starrk said, gently closing his mouth and tipping his head to look into his eyes. He tried to hide the fear and horror as he felt the other one touching him.

The pink haired one came back around and they put him back onto his back. The pain was less, whatever he'd done to his back. "I've put on some healing salve where you needed it. It should help. I'll come back tonight again," he said, standing and leaving quickly. He couldn't be gone too long.

Ichigo swallowed thickly and stared at him. Starrk held his head in his lap for a long moment. He looked up. "Sexta," Starrk said, and Ichigo's body stiffened.

"I still can't believe this shit," Grimmjow said, kneeling beside them. "I don't get it."

"You wouldn't, Sexta. The fight is everything to you," Starrk said, and to Ichigo's surprise, his hand was running over his head gently. "Aizen is seeking to prove a point, that he can break the strongest of their number."

"Still fucked up," Grimmjow said.

"There is nothing to be done of it, Sexta. To revolt against Aizen is death," Starrk said, looking thoughtful.

"Not if you do it right," Grimmjow said, standing. He looked down. "You have bonded to him."

Starrk was quiet. "I did no such thing, yet it is there."

"Then you will do what you must," Grimmjow said turning away. "I will do what I must."

He took off and Ichigo's eyes fluttered into sleep.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Urahara was there almost before the garganta finished opening, along with Renji and Rukia. All had their zanpakutou drawn and held at the face of the blue haired espada that stepped out.

"Ah, put it away. Came here to talk. Is there somewhere less…public?" he asked, putting one hand on his hip.

"Why should we trust you, arrancar?" Rukia asked.

"Because I'm your only hope of getting that orange haired brat back to you."

Before long, they were all together in the underground training area of Urahara's shoten. Grimmjow looked around with appreciation.

"Not too bad."

"Cut the crap, arrancar," Renji said, standing back against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Yeah, so you want your shinigami back, I don't like what Aizen's doing to him, so I'm going to help you as long as it doesn't get me killed," he said with a shrug.

"Why should we trust you?" Rukia asked again.

"You with the trust, look, unless you have the capability to bust into Heuco Mundo by yourselves, what are you going to do about it?" he asked, sighing.

The group was silent. "Look, the primera espada has taken to your substitute," Grimmjow said, looking up.

"He's what?" Urahara asked.

"Primera. The first espada. He refuses to participate in the debauchery that Aizen has arranged for us. I refuse as well. I'll fight to the death, I do not humiliate my opponents in such a disgusting and degrading manner…" Grimmjow said, crossing his arms.

"Wait, what is he doing?" Rukia said, eyes widening at the implication.

Grimmjow looked at her. "What do you think, ice princess? How else do you totally degrade and humiliate a proud warrior into groveling at someone else's feet? Torture is nice, and being used liberally, I can assure you, but someone like that…pain has to be used on multiple levels to turn him into a shell of a creature as Aizen intends."

Rukia's eyes welled with tears immediately and she took off toward the upstairs. Renji looked at Urahara and said, "Let her go."

Yoruichi went after her, however. Urahara looked at Grimmjow. "So what are you here for?"

"Primera has taken to him. Like I said."

"What does that even mean?" Renji asked, his anger starting to peak at what was happening to his friend, one of his best friends, in fact.

"It means, he's going to mate him. Look, we're not like you lot. We don't have genders. I look male but I'm made up of both male and female souls. So happens my dominate soul has a cock. Before this I was a genderless panther, you see? We aren't like humans, and if you didn't notice, neither is your substitute shinigami. He's got a hollow soul in there. Primera has attached to it. He's chosen him as a mate, and that bond is something even Aizen can't break," Grimmjow said with a shrug. "Think of it like we do. Alpha and beta. Alpha is the dominate one, beta is the submissive one. Female appearing arrancar can be alpha or beta, so can male appearing arrancar. Your shinigami substitute is as powerful as the primera, but a beta. So Primera will take him as his own."

"I don't get what we are to do," Urahara said, putting a hand up to still Renji's protests.

"Be ready. If we revolt in Hueco Mundo against Aizen, for us to succeed, you will have to invade Las Noches at the same time."

Grimmjow flicked open the garganta despite the wards and was gone. Urahara sighed and rubbed his head and stared at Renji. "We have to inform the head captain of what Aizen's intentions are."

"What are his intentions, exactly?" Renji asked, tightly.

"To break him, Renji-san. To break him beyond any hope of repair. It isn't something we do, but Aizen does things that no one else will do," Urahara said and sighed.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Starrk sat on his pillows and stared at the ceiling. He barely flinched when Lillynette landed on his lap. "What is it, lazy?" the green haired girl asked.

"I think I have found our partner," he said softly.

"After all this time?" Lillynette asked. "Someone that will take away the loneliness?"

Starrk nodded. "Yes. I cannot believe it myself, _mija_, but it is true. I cannot help but ache when Aizen tortures him as such. He belongs to me, not him. I have seen the cord between our souls and it is red."

"What will we do?" Lillynette asked softly. "He is in Aizen's hands now, and yet again, he's drug him to the room to be tortured. You lay here and allow it?"

Starrk sighed deeply. "I am one against many."

"Grimmjow is with you," Lillynette said with a smile. "And Szayel. When he isn't mad."

"This is true, but Segunda, y Curata, y cinco are with Aizen-sama."

"Tres will side with you, I know it," Lillynette said with a grin. "She will not watch others being tortured like this. It is against her nature."

"It is still a lot, mija," he said with a sigh.

"You can do it, Starrk. Especially if Soul Society helps. You can't let him go. He is your other piece, our other piece, Starrk. You know it as well as I do," she said, bumping her forehead into him.

"How long can he last?" Starrk said with a sigh, something inside him reverberating with shared pain.

"He'll last as long as you need him to, as long as he knows you will save him," she said softly.

Starrk smiled and kissed her cheek. "You are right, as always," he said, standing. "I will wait for him and tend him again."

He headed toward the area where he would be left again and waited. He had dozed off but awoke when he heard someone drop him to the ground. He started and watched as Nnoitra left, having not even noticed his presence. He heard Ichigo's ragged breathing and his heart ached.

He sat down and pulled his head into his lap and cleared away the blood and other things from his face as he slept. He looked up to see Szayel had returned as he promised. Together, they bandaged and cleaned his body and finally his eyes fluttered open in Starrk's lap.

"Fresa, please, hold on for me," he said quietly, brushing the hair from Ichigo's face.

"I don't…understand…" he managed. Ichigo's voice had returned a little today, though not much.

"I will get you away, it is just taking time, so please, don't give up before I can help you," he said, leaning down and placing a kiss on Ichigo's forehead.

Ichigo didn't have the strength anymore and faded into sleep. The confusion, the pain, and the absolute horror at what was happening was too much. Save him? Why would anyone want to save him now?


	3. His Pack Forms

Lone Wolf No More

Chapter Three

_His Pack Forms_

It was taking too much time to get things to the point they needed to be, Starrk thought as he navigated the corridors of Las Noches. Aizen seemed unable to see what was happening in front of him, instead taking a gleeful interest in what the arrancar were doing to break the shinigami. Starrk had to give Ichigo credit, it had been nearly two months of their constant abuse and torture, and he had yet to break. He'd regained much of his strength and no matter what they did to him, he still resisted. Just this morning, he'd spit at Aizen when he requested him to do something incredibly vile. He was still in the chamber now, seven hours later, suffering for that sign of resistance. Starrk smiled to himself. Yes, he was much harder to break than Aizen had anticipated.

Starrk paused and saw Grimmjow coming toward him. The sexta had changed a lot in the last two weeks, at least when he was around Starrk. The change had been significant, and Starrk was slowly beginning to realize why Grimmjow was changing. He smiled as the other Espada came up to him.

"Are we set?" he asked, looking up nonchalantly as he spoke.

"Ready for you to give the go ahead, Sexta," Starrk said, wandering down the hallway toward the next person he was seeking. A few moments later he came to Szayel's laboratory.

The door opened and the pink haired scientist just nodded and disappeared back into it again. Next was the trickiest part of all, contacting his ally among Aizen's most trusted. Finding out that this one was on his side had been accidental, but he knew it would be the most helpful person on his side.

Grimmjow headed out into the sands and leapt through a garganta and sonidoed through the town to arrive at the strange shinigami's shoten. He was to meet Urahara and lead them back through a garganta, however many he had managed to gather. Time ran differently in the world of the living, and only three days had passed since his first visit.

Urahara appeared a moment after his feet touched the ground. "Are things prepared?" he asked.

Grimmjow nodded. "The quicker the better, remember, time runs differently for Las Noches, and the longer I'm gone, the more time passes there. It has been two months since my first visit."

Urahara nodded. He managed to gather a few shinigami willing to go in and strike at the heart of Aizen's organization, but the Head Captain had refused to sanction something officially. It had become more of a covert operation because of this. The only captain level shinigami that they had been able to gather had been Renji, Toshiro, and Ikkaku besides Yoruichi and Urahara of course. The strike was to be a distraction so that Starrk and his allies on the inside would be able to get outside Las Noches to meet with Grimmjow and cross to the World of the Living and hide with Starrk and the others who were turning on Aizen.

Of course, Grimmjow had no idea how much resistance they would face on either side. The arrancar that were turning were risking their lives, of course, and they were trusting that the shinigami wouldn't turn on them once they had crossed over. There were no guarantees, but those that were turning away from Aizen knew they had to do something. It was about more than the substitute shinigami, it was about so much more than that.

It took longer than Grimmjow liked, but a few hours later, everyone that he was taking had gathered. He looked them over. Renji, Rukia, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Toshiro, Rangiku, Urahara, Yoruichi, Uryuu, Orihime, and Chad. It wasn't a very large group, but it would have to do. He opened the garganta and led them through. Instantly, Aizen knew that someone had crossed over, and he knew one of his own had turned on him to make it happen. He summoned the Espada, and all came to him, except of course Grimmjow. After a rant, they were sent to deal with the traitor and his fraccion. Of course, Starrk knew that Grimmjow's fraccion were in the sands waiting his return and would not be found in Las Noches.

Of course, the fact that Grimmjow had been missing nearly a week had not helped the matter, especially when none of the others knew where he was. Either way, those loyal to the primera disappeared quietly to their appointed places. Lillynette was serving her purpose as he entered his resurreccion state. Starrk made his way to the chamber where Ichigo had been taken and he heard voices as he approached, no doubt that of the fraccion that were instructed to remain there.

He pushed the door open and saw that he had been right, the fraccion of Barragan were still there, playing cards, it seemed. Ichigo was chained to the back wall, thankfully left alone for the time being. Starrk smiled as he entered, and Ggio rose.

"Primera, what do you need?" he asked.

"I need to ask very important question, mijos. Do you side with the traitor shinigami, or do you side with me?" he said, smiling at them all the while.

Ggio shook his head and exchanged glances with the others. "I do not understand. There is some sort of attack from Soul Society…"

"No, it is an attack to distract you. I will no longer be ruled by the traitor shinigami, so the choice is yours. Leave, die, or aid me," Starrk said slowly, he said, scratching his head with the gun.

Ggio looked at the others. Before another breath passed, all had disappeared out the door. Starrk smiled to himself. They knew they stood no chance against him in his resurreccion. Aizen would be nearly incapable of withstanding him at full power. He holstered Lillynette who complained vilely about being put away, and moved to where his Fresa awaited him. He reached beside him and yanked the cloth from the table to wrap him in. He carefully snapped the chains and lifted him up into his arms, staring into his blood crusted face sadly.

"Fresa, wake up," he said softly, and as expected, his eyes fluttered a moment before two bloodshot brown colored orbs stared back at Starrk's one visible eye.

"Hmm, what," Ichigo muttered, truly confused. The last he remembered, he wasn't to be let out of the chains until he agreed to what Aizen wished of him willingly. Like hell. He hurt from head to foot, to be honest, and it didn't matter what they did to him, he was not going to willingly grovel at Aizen's feet, or do anything they asked without a fight.

Starrk smiled. "We will go now, you and I, and our pack. There will be no one to stop us from now on, sweet Fresa."

Ichigo wasn't sure what that meant. Starrk, ever since he'd been here, had been making strange comments like that to him. He didn't understand it, except that the only time he felt happy was when the primera was near him. He found it strange, but it was the way it was. He only felt warm when he touched him. The rest of the time he was cold to the core. He managed to put his arms around his neck and rest his head against him as he breathed heavily. At least he'd been left with Barragan's lackies. They were too lazy to do more than play cards most of the time they were with him. The world tilted crazily as Starrk sonidoed through the corridors and then burst out into the sands of Hueco Mundo. Ichigo heard a familiar noise and turned his head.

"That…was that…" he started, because that had sounded a lot like Renji's voice…

"Hush, Fresa, just rest in my arms, we will be to safety soon," Starrk said again as they slowed down, nearing a set of caves. Starrk ducked into one and released his resurrection as he sat Ichigo down toward the back of it.

"Lillynette, remain here, I will see what has held Sexta," he said and disappeared through the opening.

She sighed and glanced back at the obviously confused shinigami. She winced as she neared, having heard about what he'd been put through since his arrival, and they had all heard of his resistance to what they wanted of him. He would not bend to their will no matter what they put him through. Physical and mental torture seemed not to phase the young shinigami. She noticed the bag that Starrk had held and she kneeled and began to unpack it, finding medical supplies. She pulled out a canteen of water and a few clean rags and approached the shinigami. He watched her warily as she moved, no doubt suspicious of her every move.

"Look, just sit still until Starrk returns, and let me tend some of this," she said, reaching toward him only to have him lean away from her.

She ground her teeth together. "Look, I'm not going to hurt you, idiot, now sit still," she said, moving closer and starting to clean his face. She felt the reaction with each touch, however, and she found herself unable to be angry at him. His face was perhaps the cleanest of the areas on him. By the time she'd cleared his face of blood, she knew he wasn't able to handle any more. Her closeness was making him tremble unconsciously. She sighed, sitting back after bandaging a few of the wounds on his face and neck.

"Not a lot I can do until you've been washed in a bath," she said, seeing the white cloth that Starrk had wrapped him in was already turning bright red in places where he was still bleeding. Starrk had told her not to remove the cuffs or the collar yet because they didn't know what effect removing the seals would have. After what seemed like hours, Starrk appeared at the opening to the cave.

"About time," she said, standing and going to him. She glanced out and saw several of the shinigami and the arrancar waiting. All looked like they'd been in serious battles.

Starrk nodded, ducking inside and kneeling beside Ichigo. He looked up, having nearly fallen asleep. "Fresa, come, it is time for us to leave, the enemy is recuperating, but a new wave of fighting will come if we do not leave immediately," he said, gathering him up as carefully as he could.

Ichigo was honestly too tired to acknowledge him as he fell into his arms again. Grimmjow looked up from where the group had gathered. Starrk had pulled the stained cloth around Ichigo as much as he could, mostly to shield him from seeing the others right away. Grimmjow held up a hand when the mouthy short woman tried to approach them. "Wait until we get to safety," he said, flicking open the garganta, and ushering everyone through. Starrk, with Ichigo, and Lillynette were the last, just before the end on Hueco Mundo's side shut. He had no trouble keeping the path under his feet as they moved through it. His pack had grown, and in ways he had not expected.

Urahara ushered them down into the basement of the shoten, warding it as the refugees and shinigami alike escaped down into the extra dimensional pocket. The warding would hide the presence of the arrancar and Ichigo alike, and once he was sure it was secure, he headed off to meet Shinji and the Vizard to secure the town in case of retaliation. He didn't expect any, however. They had left with much of Aizen's power.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

"Woman, you come heal him," Grimmjow said, coming out of the tent that they had erected in the space. Starrk had taken Ichigo inside it, and thus far hadn't let anyone else into it aside from Lillynette and Grimmjow.

Orihime, who had already healed Renji, Rukia, Ikkaku and Yumichika, was waiting with a great deal of anticipation. None of them really knew his condition. Through everything, they were not allowed to even speak to him, until Starrk deemed it was okay. She nodded, entering the tent to find a comfortable looking nest of sorts where Starrk had piled pillows and blankets together and laid Ichigo upon them. She could only really see his face, but it was bandaged and he was sleeping currently.

"Should we wake him?" she asked gently.

"I've ordered him to sleep, it is for the best," the primera espada said from where he stood beside Ichigo, arms crossed and watching her carefully. She could sense the incredibly power that naturally emanated from him.

She healed what wounds she could before exhaustion took her. He was not completely well, but she was sure his own strength would restore him a great deal once the seals were broken. She nodded, leaving the tent with Starrk behind her.

Urahara had returned with Shinji, Yoruichi, and Ichigo's father, who wore his shihakuso, to the surprise of some present. The group approached as Starrk came out of the tent. "I believe that the time has come for us to discuss the situation, Primera," Urahara said with a nod of his head. "This is Ichigo's father, Isshin Kurosaki, and one of his teachers, Shinji Hirako. I and Yoruichi Shihōin are his other two mentors that will be present as well."

Starrk nodded, glancing behind him. "Lillynette, remain with him," he said. She rolled her eyes but disappeared into the tent with Ichigo as the group walked to another tent that Urahara had set up, this one with a table and chairs inside of it. Once they had all settled in Urahara looked at Starrk.

"First, it is with our greatest thanks that we invite you to this place. You risked everything to do what you have done, as have all the Espada and arrancar who have defected with you," Urahara said with a nod.

"They are my pack, now, if you wish a title for them," Starrk said with a soft, sleepy smile, pushing his hair from his eyes.

"Pack?" Shinji asked, arching a brow at him.

"Si, they are my family, not just my associates. I am a wolf arrancar, the alpha of this pack. We are all different sorts of arrancar, however, we are bound together as a family now," he said with a nod.

"I suppose that leads to what your intentions are with my son," Isshin said, a very serious look crossing the normally jovial man's face. "I have heard what the Sexta Espada said, that you had claimed him. I am afraid I must know more about what this means for my son. He has been through a trying experience…" Isshin began.

Starrk held up a hand. "No, you do not understand at all what he has been through, my friend. Trying does not begin to describe the torture he has endured. It is merely through his own strength of will and my interventions without Aizen knowing that he has endured with his mind intact. This is without the use of any of his powers, thanks to the sealing bindings he has worn since he arrived in Las Noches over two months ago."

"Two months, but it has only been…" Shinji said, looking around. "Four days?"

"For you," Starrk said, yawning and rubbing his face slowly. "Time streams do not run the same when Aizen used his abilities to alter them. Now, considering that Fresa did not break, despite the torture he endured, he is very strong, and very worthy."

"Worthy?" Yoruichi said slowly, looking up. "Worthy of what?"

"Worthy of being my beta," Starrk said. "He has the strength of spirit to match his immense power, which makes him a match that will be great."

"Beta? Like a beta in a wolf pack?" Urahara said, putting together the terms he was using. He'd called himself the alpha.

"It is similar, though," Starrk said. "Hollows are not like humans or shinigami. Your gender ideas do not matter, we are made of many souls, to procreate, like consuming, is part of our nature. We separate the dominant of our type as alphas, and the submissive as betas. We, this pack, have formed as a way to protect each other. This is why we should not be taken lightly, as none of those accepted as pack members will be harmed by anyone."

Isshin nodded slowly. "You intend to have my son as your mate," he clarified.

"Intend? No, my friend, I have him as my mate, even if there has been no union as of yet, the choice was neither mine nor his. It occurred, binding us together, and it is not a thing that can be changed," Starrk said.

Isshin nodded. "May I see him?" he said, looking up at Starrk slowly.

Starrk nodded. "Of course, you are his father, and you are a part of him. However, I would ask you wait until he is recovered somewhat from what he has endured."

"I will return tomorrow to see him," Isshin said, standing and bowing to the group.

Starrk stood and returned to the tent where Lillynette was impatiently waiting his return. He dismissed her and slid down into the nest of pillows and blankets. They had yet to clean Ichigo entirely, but the priority of healing and rest took more precedent.

Lillynette escaped, and stretched her arms over her head, nearly running into Rukia and Renji who came toward her when she exited.

"What?" she asked. "Can't I walk around without you guys following me?" she snorted.

Rukia sighed. "I just want to know how he is, and what happened to him, Starrk won't speak of it, and Orihime was too exhausted to talk about his injuries."

Lillynette groaned. "Well, he was tortured. You want a day by day detail?"

Renji sighed. "We just want to know what to expect, how to help him recover," he said.

Lillynette wanted to be snarky about it but shook her head. "Look, Aizen did anything and everything he could think of to break him. He beat him, he gave him drugs that Szayel created, he kept him isolated sometimes, and other times, he gave him over to some of the fraccion so they could have their way with him. Some of the Espada had their turns with him on a daily basis, and he still wouldn't give Aizen what he wanted. So he's a strong little bitch, but it was a lot, and he's going to be a while recovering."

"I don't…what do you mean, had their way with him?" Rukia asked, hoping she was wrong.

"Shorty, don't be so stupid. That boy was fucked more than a cat hollow in heat, so you tell me how he might react, you're the one that knows him," she said, tiring of the discussion already.

Renji and Rukia weren't sure how to react to that.


End file.
